Time For Introspection

-By Jawahar Manandhar

THIS year we are celebrating the 50th year of the establishment of democracy in the country and a decade of the restoration of multiparty democracy. This is the year of commitment, introspection and retrospection for all of us so far as Democracy Day and democratic system are concerned. It has become necessary to do so as there seems to be widespread dissatisfaction in certain section of the society that democracy has not been able to fulfill the aspirations of the people. But the question is, is democracy a magic wand, which can solve all the problems in no time?

 Looking back at history we have to feel sorry that democracy gained in 2007 B.S. due to the joint effort of the King and the people could not sustain for more than a decade. It was snatched away in the name of partyless Panchayat system, which remained in force for the next thirty years.

However, due to the relentless struggle of the Nepali Congress from within and even from exile and finally due to the combined efforts of the NC and the United Left Front, with the people joining hands with them, the country saw the restoration of multiparty democracy in 1990 A.D. The people's movement was the natural outcome of the people all over the country who had been longing to see the dawn of democracy for the overall development of the country. It was, thus, natural for the people to expect that with the inception of democratic dispensation every thing would function smoothly and their wishes, aspirations would be fulfilled. 

Democracy is not only a system of governance but it is a life-style, a feeling to be experienced by all who desire freedom not only from political shackles but also from economic deficiencies. It has been proved all over the world that it is the best system of governance and it is also the best vehicle to fulfill people's aspiration for freedom and development. But we do not seem to have been able to project the image that democracy has been deeply rooted in our soil. It has become a fashion to blame democracy for everything that goes wrong, forgetting that it is democracy which gave us right to voice grudges against anything or anybody. However, there is no reason to be satisfied and be complacent.

The last five decades of our stint with democracy has not been that heartening for the institutionalisation of the democracy, political stability and raising the standards of living to the desired level. But there is no reason to be disheartened anymore as the country having a majority government of the Nepali Congress, torch bearer of democratic movement at the helm of power. It can be confidently said that democracy is safe and sound. However, it is a fact that in past whenever the NC has a majority it has failed to last for its full term in office due to internal conflict of the party. But it can be hoped that such mistakes will not be repeated again thereby giving a chance to the reactionary forces to tarnish the democratic system and multiparty democracy itself.

To some extent the political parties too are responsible for this. Their activities in the last decade were not something to be eulogised. Rather they have shattered the hopes and aspirations of the people by their lust for power and its misuse, greed for perks and privileges resulting in political instability.

Against this background it is but natural for some persons with vested interest to take advantage of the fluid political situation of the country and suddenly surfaced Maoist insurgency, which has already killed more than 1,000 people in the last four years. Now that the so called Maoists are willing for talks it can be hoped that the problem will be solved once and for all. There could not be any other opportune day than this 50th years of Democracy Day and the decade of the restoration of the multi-party system to hope for the smooth functioning of the system and wish for the overall prosperity of the people irrespective of their ideologies.

Blame Yourselves Not Democracy

-By Siddhi B. Ranjitkar

DEMOCRACY has empowered the people in the scale unprecedented in the history of Nepal and it has given us right to organise ourselves. We can easily register political party, social or professional organizations or associations which function in the interest of the concerned people. We have thousands of non-governmental organizations and hundreds of other professional organizations. These are the results of democracy.

Another significant gain from democracy is we can preserve our language,  culture and religion.  For example, Nepalese ethnic groups have better chances for developing their separate identity.  The government has been encouraging the ethnic groups to teach their children in their mother tongues at least at the primary level.  The government has prepared some textbooks in their mother tongue.

The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed the cases against one minister and a number of government officials on corruption charges.  Nothing of this kind had happened in the history of Nepal. We could not imagine such things to happen in systems other than the democratic one.  We may need to go a long way before all the corrupted people are penalized for their misdeeds.  However, there has been beginning.

There are reports of ministers and members of the parliament taking undue benefits. The Auditor General's annual report is there for all to see and realise who have violated the financial rules and regulations. The unscrupulous ministers and members of the parliament are not the products of the democracy but the expose of their misdeeds is the spin-off of democracy.

We have the independent judiciary.  People can go to the court for justice.  The are examples of it ruling against decisions of the parliamentary committees. Media have been strong to expose corrupt people in all walks of life. Media, even the government-owned ones, have also exposed the irregularities in the accounts of the court as well as of the civil administration. 

However, some people have been attempting to tarnish the image of democracy.  They blame democracy for everything that goes wrong. When the government tries to streamline bureaucracy people blame it on democracy There are even some who blame democracy for the high prices of  vegetables and other consumer goods.  

People understand the meaning of democracy as it suits them the best. For a hungry person democracy means two square meal a day.  For an unemployed one, it is an opportunity of employment.  For a civil servant democracy means a timely promotion and adequate earning for making a living.  For all people democracy means the fast response of the government for peace, security and prosperity.

Therefore, they blame democracy for everything that goes wrong in the country .

The main problem we have is that those who have been elected have failed the people. People voted such people thinking they were angels but their greed for money, power and comfortable lives have turned them into villains. But they can deceive once or twice but not for ever. We hope to put up who are honest, sincere, dedicate and who will work for the cause of the people in our parliament, government and the bureaucracy.

People have already tasted the fruits of democracy. They would not accept any other systems of other than the democratic one because only this system can fulfill the aspirations of freedom and development of the people.

Herding The Army Into The Barracks

-By Purushottam Shrestha

IN A surprise move, Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid suspended his powerful Security Minister, General Wiranto, from the cabinet over his alleged involvement in atrocities committed in East Timor, last year.

For the President, one of the major concerns in ruling Indonesia was the aggressive role of the army in Indonesian politics. He had wanted from the very beginning to sideline General Wiranto, the most high profile aspirant of power, from the political scene of Indonesia.

Since Wahid came to power, there have always been tensions between the President and Gen. Wiranto. The two personalities are said to have failed to make even eye contact with each other, ever since Wiranto was forced to quit as Armed Forces' chief to join the Cabinet as Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security.

The relations between these two top personalities were triggered by the release of a report by the National Human Rights Commission on alleged atrocities in East Timor. The report named 33 figures suspected of criminal abuses in East Timor, which included Wiranto.

Hundreds of people were killed and much of the province devastated in attacks by anti- independence militants following East Timor's vote for independence last year. Indonesian soldiers have been accused of supporting or taking part in attacks against the East Timorese.

For President Wahid, the Human Rights Commission report came out as the best instrument to sideline Wiranto from the cabinet post. The President, who was then in tour to Australia, called on Wiranto to step down. In response, Gen. Wiranto refused to resign. He claimed that resigning would be an admission of guilt.

Gen. Wiranto's personal lawyer claimed that there was no evidence, documentation or witness that his client had committed any crime in East Timor and attacked the report as more politically motivated than an impartial investigation.

After his comeback from the foreign tour, President Wahid said that Wiranto would continue office while the Attorney General conducted an inquiry into the violence in East Timor. But within a day, President Wahid surprised everyone by suspending Wiranto from his cabinet. Wahid is said to have taken the decision after consulting the chiefs of armed forces and also receiving support from the US, the West and Australia.

The support of the armed forces was very much crucial for such an important decision. Before the decision, President Wahid was able to get support from the chief of the Indonesian Army's Strategic Resource Command (Kostrad), Lt. Gen. Superman, who asserted that the Kostrad remained loyal to the President. A powerful army chief of staff, Gen. Sudarto also followed the same line.

General Wiranto accepted the President's decision. He said that the President had the prerogative to take a decision and whatever the decision he made must be accepted. It is on the air in Indonesia that Wahid is going to make further changes in the army. As he has received the green signal from the international community, President Wahid is acting assertive in cutting the traditional dominance of the armed forces in Indonesian politics. He used his latest overseas trip to mobilise international opinion and support for further actions.

President Wahid is also under pressure to take some crucial decision against Wiranto. He has to reassure Indonesia's troubled provinces that the Timor- like cases would not repeat again in other provinces. He has to reassure that Indonesia is ruled by law and is sensitive to people's sentiments. Secondly, he has to satisfy the donors also. The Consultative Group for Indonesia - World Bank, the ADB, Japan and European Union has recently pledged up to $ 47 billion in loans to Jakarta. Thirdly, he has to satisfy the people's voice that the armed forces 's role in Indonesian politics would be contained in future.

Gen. Wiranto, onetime one of the most powerful men in Indonesia, is going through tough days. His political ambition has received a serious setback. Now, he lacks the crucial support from the military. Some sections of the armed forces may still be sympathetic to Wiranto, but that may not be enough to strike back. The new armed chief stood behind President Wahid and treated Wiranto as a cabinet member and not as a member of armed forces.

The Indonesian armed forces are very much political oriented. They have controlled and ruled the country for more than three decades. There is hardly any place where the army has not been involved. So, President Wahid has had to walk a tight rope while dealing with the armed forces. The role of Gen. Wiranto and that of the armed forces as well in Indonesia will largely depend on how Wahid's government makes its moves in the future.

Democracy Means Justice, Prosperity

-By Rajesh Man K.C.

THE nation celebrated the 50th National Democracy Day yesterday with great joy and jubilation. Various programmes were organized throughout the country.

Every year, Democracy Day is observed on the 7th of Falgun. This day has a great significance in the history of Nepal because on this very day, democracy was first established by the joint efforts of the King and the people by overthrowing the century long Rana oligarchy.

History tells us that His late Majesty King Tribhuvan staked even his throne for democratic rights of the people. This shows is His late Majesty's commitment to democracy. But unfortunately, the hard-earned democracy could not survive for more than a decade. In 2017 B.S., late King Mahendra imposed a partyless panchayat system by overthrowing the majority government of the Nepali Congress led by late B.P. Koirala. One of the major reasons behind this political incidence is said to be the internal squabbles between politicians and political parties. The panchayat system thus prevailed in the country for three decades.

However, Nepalese people's aspiration for a complete democratic system could not be suppressed for ever. Finally, on the historical day of Falgun 7, 2046 B.S. people rose Jana Andolan  (People's Movement) under the joint initiative of Nepali Congress and the United Left Front. After forty nine days, they succeeded to throw out the Panchayat System. His Majesty King Birendra, keeping in view with people's wish and aspirations, granted the multiparty system of governance and accepted himself as a Constitutional Monarch, and new democratic constitution was promulgated in the country. The Constitution, that comprises the fundamental principles of multiparty democracy, constitutional monarchy, an independent judiciary, people's sovereignty and the fundamental human rights, is supposed to be the most suitable and democratic constitution in the constitutional history of Nepal.

Now, a decade has elapsed since the restoration of democracy and during this period Nepalese people have experienced different types of government-an interim, majority, minority and coalitions. But it is sad to be noted that not even a single government seems to have been capable of providing a right direction to the country and countrymen. One the contrary, the lives of the common people is getting more and more difficult. Billions of money has been received in terms of loans and grants but the number of people living below poverty line is increasing rather than decreasing. Corruption is widespread and unemployment is increasing and the prices of the daily necessities have gone up.

In the meantime, the Maoist problem is becoming a big problem for the country. The Maoists activities since the east four years in the name of 'People's War' hundreds of innocent people have been killed.

Under such circumstances, the questions naturlaly arise in our mind-what is the use of such democracy that fails to address the problems and grievances of the people? Does democracy mean only an access for power by a limited number politicians and political parties? Or is it license for them to misasppropriate nation's fund and resources? People have been seeking answers to these questions from the politicians and the political parties.

Democracy, definitely, is not bad in itself. It is indeed, one of the best systems of governance in the world. But it is the vested interest of some politicians that is defaming democracy. Democracy in its truest sense is a means of achieving social justice, human dignity and economic prosperity that leads to a good quality of life. But it is not a license for the leaders to do what they want to do. Democracy has its norms and values that need to be adhered by all sectors of society particularly the politicians and political parties. Political parties, no doubt, are the lifeblood of democracy. Democracy needs political parties because they are the means by which citizens get an opportunity to choose their right representatives. But when politicians and political parties themselves ignore the norms and values of democracy it is difficult for democracy to take root in the society.

Therefore, it is and should be the first and foremost duty of our polticians and political parties to act sincerely and honestly keeping in mind the norms and values of democracy. History has proved that democracy if lost wi may be lost at an unbearable cost.